Publicity - The Right Media Person to Call for Free Publicity

You won't accomplish much if you call the gas company to ask about your cable bill. Make sure that when you call about your story that the reporter you are contacting is the right person.

Don't call a business reporter who covers the pharmaceutical industry with ten tips on getting kids to take their medicine. Find the writer who handles parenting or consumer medical stories for that.

There is one exception to the previous tip: if you personally know a reporter, or you have a mutual friend, it's fine to call that person even if you know they aren't the right reporter. Just don't expect them to do your story. Ask instead, "Which of your colleagues might be interested in a story on my kiddie-medicine tips for parents?"

Most sales handbooks tell you to try to make your pitch to the decision-maker. The decision maker in the media game is the editor-but resist the temptation to call them.

What works better is to try one, two, or more reporters until one gets interested. When they sell the story to the editor, it has far more power. Besides, if one reporter turns you down, you call the next. If the editor vetoes it, where do you turn?

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

---

How To Get Radio-Active PR For Your Non-Profit Cause-Part One

"We are in the communications business, the business of conveying... Read More

The Art Of Persuasive Pitching

Media placement is an art. Practicing it often requires as... Read More

Dont Waste Money on Public Relations

Demand that it pull its own weight in your boat... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners Piggyback on Topic A to Get Free Publicity

That big story the media pursue each day is what... Read More

Publicity Wont Thrive on Press Releases Alone

Press releases are a useful tool for announcing news and... Read More

Writing A Press Release

News releases (also called press releases) are an important part... Read More

Foolproof Publicity for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

They'd hate to admit it, but the media is pretty... Read More

Dont Put Up With Junk PR

In public relations, "junk" is more about attitude and lack... Read More

24 Killer Press Release Secrets

1. Your press release should sound like news, not an... Read More

Public Relations Strategies: Focus PR Campaigns with Media Coverage Analysis

Prior to launching a new public relations campaign, evaluate the... Read More

Whats Important About PR?

Quite a bit, actually. Public relations helps business, non- profit... Read More

Are You Sure You Know What Youre Doing?

Because when it comes to public relations, non-believers can produce... Read More

Maybe the Strongest PR on Planet Earth?

Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use... Read More

How To Write A Killer Press Release

One of the primary tools still used by PR professionals... Read More

PR: Advice You Didnt Ask For

Although, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may... Read More

Talk Radio Success

You do not have to hire a publicist or advertise... Read More

Smashing the Myth of the Press Release

A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class... Read More

Is The Traditional Press Review Still A Business Tool Of The Future?

Press reviews are a common and basic feature for surveying... Read More

How To Create A News Angle

Think of a triangle. On the left, imagine the story... Read More

Do-It-Yourself PR: An Accident Waiting to Happen

Early in my career as a public relations consultant, I... Read More

How to Get $1000 worth of Advertising for $60

©2004 Jeffrey DobkinSixty dollars doesn't go a long way in... Read More

Its CNN! They Want To Talk To You!

Being invited to appear on radio and television used to... Read More

Anxious About Your Public Relations?

Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More

What Does the Public Relations Client REALLY Want, and Why?

It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist... Read More

Whats Your Op-Ed?

Everyone has an opinion on something, and you can leverage... Read More

Anchor Your Relationships

I heard a speaker recently who was talking about how... Read More

Publicity: Nailing a Media Interview, Part II (Crisis Management)

We'd all like reporters to ask us about our career... Read More

How To Get An Avalanche Of Free Publicity For Your Home Business!

There are many ways you can get tons of free... Read More

Getting to Know Your Local City Council Members

The easiest way to meet city council members is to... Read More

33 Reasons To Do A News Release

News releases are not the best way to get major... Read More

Cutting Down Your Trade Show Budget

Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately... Read More

For Financial Planners, Marketing and Publicity Is About You

For financial planners, getting publicity, in the end, isn't about... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Its Not Who You Know But What You Know

Almost every day, I hear the same question, over and... Read More